Snowplow



J. K/SULLY Nov. 30, 1954 SNOWPLOW 2 Sheefs-Sheec l F'iled Dec. 14, 1948 INVENTUR JOHN k suLu United States Patent Ofilice 2,695,465 Patented Nov. 30, 195.4

2,695,465 sNowPLow John K. Sully, Goderich, Ontario, Canada, assignor to The Dominion Road Machinery Co., Limited, Goderich, pntario, Canada Application December 14, 1948, Serial No. 65,211

3 Claims. (21. 37-44 w A further important object is to provide a plow which ground-engaging runners in adcan. be supported by the justable positions of tilt. -w-A'.still further important object is to provide-a plow as: aforesaid supportedby the truck or vehicle chassis in a' manner whereby the downward pressure transferred to the vehicle chassis can be controlled to providethe desired traction without requiring the chassis and springs to assume the full downward snow pressure- 3 The principal feature of the invention resides in supporting the rear of a plow, having its shoe-supported front pivoted to -the ends of thrust bars pivoted to the operating vehicle, fulcrumed on levers having on one side of their fulcra ground-engaging shoes supporting a portion of the plow weight and on the other side of their fulcra heel chains transferring the remainder of the plow weight back to the vehicle frame.

.Thus a shortening or lengthening of the heel chains will effect a tilting of the plow about its front pivotal connection to the thrust bars to change plow. inclination. Another important feature resides in providing for the adjustment of the fulcra of the levers at the rear of the plow wherebythe portion of plow weight assumed by the rear shoes and vehicle frame can be adjusted.

l1 To enable the plow to be lifted bodily a lift chain and hydraulic hoist arrangement independent of the heel chains is provided to lift the plow as permitted by the pivotal connections of the thrust bars with the plow front and vehicle frame. j A further and important feature resides in the association and relation ofthe lift and heel chain arrangements whereby oneset of chains may be slackened and adjusted" while supporting the plow with the other set of -chains to enable the plow to be readily adjusted by the operator when desired.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a mid-vertical sectional view'through the plow constructed in accordance with my invention and showing the plow attached to the frontof a motor vehicle.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the plow of Figure 1 with the mould board broken away at one side of the plow to illustrate frame details.

i Figure 3 is an enlarged part perspective, part sectional viewof one of the rear floating shoes illustrating the manner in whichit is supported to enable control of the plow inclination and'controlof the pressure transmitted back to the vehicleframe when the plow is in road running position. I t. t

Figure 4 is-an elevational. view showing the pivotal connection between the vehicle carried lifting beam and the lift chain engaging link or plate. 1 I -In previous snowplowequipment, where the plow is attached to amotor vehicle,.it has been .difficultto control the inclination and elevation of theplow, and such eontrolhas beenverylimited. i j In some previous constructions adjustable heel and nose chains have. beenprovided but the adjustment of these chains cannot bemade, and carried out by the operare so that without returning to its base the plow cannot be adjusted in inclination and position to accommodate the varying snow conditions encountered when plowiii r 1 plow was first A-further disadvantage of many previous plow constructions has been that the whole downward pressure of the snow on the mould boardshas been transmitted directly back to the vehicle frame, and springs, whereas it is only desirable to transmit back sufiicient pressure to maintain traction under the varyingsnow conditions encountered.

The present invention completely eliminates the above disadvantages of'previous snow plowequipment by enabling complete and full control of the plow through adjustments of the heel and nose chains, which adjustments can be readily made byithe. operatortin the field.

A still further advantage of the present invention is that the plow can be readily lifted from ground-engaging relation, either with the bottom of the plow substantially parallel with. the r'oadwayor withrthe nose tilting downwardly to prevent the heel of the plow from gouging into the roadbed and to prevent the excessive lifting movement required in previous plow constructionswhere the plow was elevated by meansof the nose chains whereby the pivoted about its thrust bars before being elevated. v i

Referring to the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I provide the motorvehicle 1, which is to operate the snow plow equipment, withya frameAincluding the uprights 2 carried by the forwardly projecting supporting bars 3 extending forwardly of the vehicle chassis, and the cross bars 4 and 5, preferably angle bars, connecting the uprights 2.

Pivotally secured to the top of the upper cross bar I 5 is a cantilever or lifting beam 6, and pivotally secured to the lower cross bar 4 is the cylinder of a hydraulic ram 7, the outer end of the piston rod '8 of which is pivotally secured to the lifting beam 6 forwardly of the frame A, whereby movement of the piston rod 8 controls the elevation of the lifting beam.

Secured to the face of each of .the uprights 2 at the lower end thereof is a plate 9 formed with forwardly projecting lugs 10 arranged in transversely spaced relation and provided with a series of. vertically spaced holes 11.

Pivotally secured to the outer end of the liftingbeam6 to. swing about a transverse axis is a plate 12, shown in Figure 4 in particular, and this plate is formed with a pair of transversely spaced keyhole-shaped slots 13, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

The frame:A forms a means of attaching the snow plow to the front ofithem otor vehicle 1.

The snow plow is formed of a separate frame B carrying the mould boards 14 and including the longitudinally extending angle bars 15 welded to. the mould boards and supporting adjacent their rearward ends the vertical bars 16 also welded to the mouldboards and connected intermediate their height by the transverse cross bar 17.

Extending between the longitudinal bars 15 at the forward end thereof is an angle bar 18carrying downwardly and forwardly extending cutting or bearing: plates 19.

The mould boards 14 are supported in rearwardly diverging relation by the vertical bars 16, bars 15 and cross bar 18, the various reinforcing braces and other detail structurebeing omittedas forming no part of the present invention. 2

Extending between and welded to the mould boards adjacent the rear and at the lower edge is a cross bar 20, while projecting from the forward meeting edge of {he inouldboards is a snow-cutting plate 21 anda toe ug 2. 1 t j The proportions of the frame 'B and the mould boards are such that the centre of gravity of the frame lies in the vertical plane X-X forwardly of the uprights 16 and cross bar 17, for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. f i

Secured adjacent the forward ends of the bars 15 of the frame B are the front shoes or runners 23 which are adapted to support the forward end or nose of the plow in snow-plowing. relation relative to the ground.

Secured to thecross bar of the frame B in spaced relation are the pivot lugs 24, details of which are shown in Figure 3. Pivoted to each of these lugs 24 is a lever 25 which is formed with aplurality of spaced holes 26 intermediate its: length, andselectively engaging in one of these holes is the pivot pin 27 which pivotally connects the lever to the lug 24'.

Pivoted to the forward end of each of the levers 25 is amushroom-shaped shoe or runner 28 formed with the: spaced upstanding lugs 29 between which is engaged the lever' end by means of the pivot pin 30;

Attached to the rearward end of the levers 25 are a pair' of heel chains 31.

In connecting the mould board carrying frame B to the vehicle, push bars 32 are provided and these are pivoted at their rearward ends by means of suitablepivot pins engaging in one of the vertically spaced holes 11 of the lugs 10 of the plate 9*. The forward ends of these push bars are pivoted as at 33 in suitable lugs carried bythe frame cross bar 18.

Secured to suitable eye-bolts 34 carried by the cross bar 18 are a pair of lift chains 35 which are threaded through the slots 13 of the plate 12. and are secured at their opposite ends to the eye-bolts-36 of the cross bar 17.

It will be appreciated that the key-hole slots 13 will a permit the chains 35 to be readily threaded therethrough when raised to the upper end. of these slots but will prevent movement of the chains when lowered so that one of. the chain links is engaged in the lower end of the slot.

The plate 12. thus forms a means of securing the lift I, chains at selective points intermediate their lengths to the lifting beam 6,. the ends of the chains being secured on opposite sides of the plane XX through the centre of gravity of the plow frameB.

The heel chains 31 are threaded through similar slots 37 formed in the downwardly extending web of the upper cross bar 5 of the vehicle frame A, whereby the heel chains are adjustably secured to the vehicle frame.

With the foregoing connections between the plow frame B and vehicle frame A complete control of the plow is obtained.

When it is desired to lift the plow from ground-engaging relation the operation of the ram 7 to elevate the beam 6 will raise the plow at an angle corresponding to the relative lengths of the lift chain reaches between their end connections on opposite sides of the centre of gravity of the plow frame and the plate 12.

Adjustment of the chain 35 in the slots 13 of the plate 12 will thus change the lengths of the chain reaches between the plate and the end connections 34 and 36 to change the inclination of the plow frame and mould boards when being elevated by means of the ram and beam 6. This adjustment can be carried outwith the beam 6 lowered to slacken the lift chains 35 allowing the rear shoes 28 and heel chains 31 toassume all. of 1' the plow weight not taken by the front: shoes 23.

Under normal operation of the plow the lift chains are slack and the weight at the rear of the plow' is taken in part by the rear shoes 28- and in. part by the heel chains 31. levers 25, the rear shoes are floating and by adjusting the heel chains the elevation of the rearward end of the snow plow frame B and hence the inclination of the plow frame and mould boards 14 when in ground-running position can be readily controlled.

Further, with the floating arrangement of the rear shoes 28 fulcrumed on the levers 25, the downward snow pressure on the mould boards, which creates a reactive force up on the shoes 28, is transmitted through the heel chains to the vehicle frame A in proportion tothe lengths of the lever arms between the lever pivots and the shoes and between the lever pivots and the heel chains.

Thus by providing selective points of pivotal connection between the levers 25 and the plow frame through the transversely spaced holes 26 selectively engaged by the pivot pin 27, the proportion of the downward thrust of the snowon the plow that is transmitted back to the vehicle frame A and hence the vehicle chassis and springs, is controllable.

Thus the rear shoes may be arranged so that sufiicient thrust is transmitted back through: the heel chains to maintain traction between the vehicle wheels and the ground, but excessive destructive thrusts on the vehicle chassis and springs are eliminated.

It will also be noted that, as the rear of the plow is supported and fulcrumed on and intermediate thelen'gth of the levers 25, the rearward ends of which are supported a definite distance from the ground for any given position of the heel chains 31, the vertical movement of the rear of the plow, as the rear shoes 28 ride over the With the rear shoes 28 fulcrumed on the "'1' ground swinging the levers about their points of connection with the heel chains, will be' minimized to provide relatively smooth plow operation.

When it is desired to adjust the heel chains 31 to control the inclination of the. plow when plowing or to adjust the position of the fulcra of the levers 25 to change the proportion of weight assumed by the rear shoes and vehicle frame respectively, the beam 6 is. raised until the lift chains 35 assume the weight of the plow and the plow is elevated until the heel chains become slack.

The rearward thrust of the snow is of course transmitted to the vehicle frame through the rigid thrust or push-bars 32.

The pivotal arrangement between the push bars 32 and the plow frame B permits the plow to pivot about the forward ends of these push. bars, and itis found. acceptable to utilize front shoes. 23 rigidly secured to the plow frame members 15. However, it will be appreciated that if desired the front shoes may also be pivotally'supported on the plow frame and of course a single shoe may be utilized if desired.

What I claim as my invention is z 1. In a motor vehicle operated snow plow, of the type wherein the plow comprising a mouldboard. supporting plow frame is. connected to the vehicle by forwardly projecting push-bars pivoted to a frame of the vehicle and to the plow frame adjacent to the front thereof, the combination with: the plow frame and mouldboard, of ground-engaging shoe means adapted to support the front of said plow frame'in plowing, lever means fulcrumed on: said plow frame. adjacent tothe rear thereof, ground-engaging shoe means pivoted to said lever means on one side of the fulcrum thereof, and load transfer means connected to said lever on the other side of the fulcrum thereof and connectable to the vehicle frame, said. latter ground-engaging shoe and load transfer means each adapted to support during plowing a portion of the downward thrust of the rear of the plow proportional to their relative distance from said fulcrum, said load transfer means being adjustable in length between said lever means and. vehicle frame to cant. said plow frame about its pivotal connection to said push-bars.

2". In a motor: vehicle operated snow plow, the combination with a motor vehicle, a frame carried by said vehicle, a snow plow comprising a plow frame and a mouldboard formation carried by said plow frame, and push-bars pivoted to and projected forwardly of said vehicle frame and pivotedv to said plow adjacent to the front thereof, of shoe means secured. to and supporting the front of said plow, a pair of levers extending in the direction of said push-bars fulcrumed on said plow rearwardly of its centre of gravity, a shoe pivoted to each lever at one end thereof, a load transfer element connected to each lever atv the other end thereof and connectable to said vehicle frame, said load transfer elements and said latter shoes supporting respectively, during plowing, a portion of the downward thrust of the rear of the plow proportional to their distances from the lever fulcra, said lead transfer elements beingv adjustable to raise and lower the lever ends to which: they are connected to cant the plow for plowing about its pivotal connection with said push-bars, and means carried by said vehicle frame and connected with said plow for raising said plow bodily from groundengaging' relation.

3. A device as claimed in claim- 2 in which said load transfer elements are flexible tension members and the fulcra of said levers on said plow are at selective points along the lengths of said levers to select the proportion ofrear plow thrust transfer to said vehicle frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITEDv STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,704,923 Pelette Mar. 12, 1929 1,709,244 Abbe Apr. 16,. 1929 1,711,488 Bising' May 7, 1929 1,898,312 Ritchie Feb. 21, 1933 1,957,103 Frink May 1., 1934 2,091,343 Soule et al.. Aug. 31, 1937 2,116,3515 Jones et a1. May 3', 1.938 2,324,635 Meyer July 20;. 1943 2,337,434 Washbond Dec. 21, 1943 2,403,219 Hanson et all. July 2,. 1946 2,430,221 Frink et a1. Nov. 4, 19417 

